Thursday, 27 December 2018

Northrop Grumman awarded $1.3 billion for AN/AAQ-28 LITENING advanced targeting pod


An F-16 Fighting Falcon after refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker near Tucson, Arizona, April 8, 2015. US Air Force photo


Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has been awarded a $1,310,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firmfixed-price, cost-reimbursable contract for sustainment, modernization, production, and development of the LITENING advanced targeting pod.  Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2023. This contract is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia is the contracting activity (FA854019D0001).   Source: dod.defense.gov


AN/AAQ-28 LITENING advanced targeting pod


LITENING SE is a pylon-mounted targeting pod capable of producing infrared and visible imagery of both ground and airborne targets. The pod provides laser ranging and designation in support of weapon delivery, navigational functions, and recording and data-linking of generated imagery and data. The imagery will allow for greater stand-off ranges and increase target identification.
"LITENING SE builds on Northrop Grumman's current G4 production targeting pod configuration, which is the only such system in the world that offers 1K forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and Laser Target Imaging Program (LTIP) technology," Lennon added.

LITENING SE employs a Plug-N-Play (PnP) III TM digital two-way, data link LRU inside the pod.
"Northrop Grumman is an industry leader in providing targeting pod improvements and winning this competition is proof positive of our customers' belief in and support for the LITENING ATP-SE system," he added.  "We were the first to deploy a laser marker and an on-board data link on a targeting pod and the first to demonstrate two-way digital and networked internal data link capabilities."  Source: northropgrumman.com


General Characteristics
Primary function:
  Infrared/electro-optical targeting; non-traditional intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance
Prime Contractor: Northrop Grumman Corporation
Length: 87 inches (2.20 meters)
Diameter: 16 inches
(0.406 meters)
Weight: 440 pounds (200 kilograms)
Aircraft: A-10A/A+/C, B-52H, F-15E, F-16 Block 25/30/32/40/42/50/52
Sensors: Infrared detector, CCD-TV camera, laser rangefinder and laser designator
Date Deployed: February 2000
Unit Cost: $1.4 million

 Source: www.af.mil

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